Dark Rooms
by Almightybrooms
Summary: What if Luffy had died instead of Ace during the Marinefords Great War?
1. Chapter 1- Ace

Marco knocked on the door. "Ace...?"

No response.

He slowly opened the door, peering inside the dark room. There he saw Ace, sitting on the floor against the wall, his face blank as he stared at nothing. His eyes...dead.

The whole ship had heard his crying; they had heard it all- his frustration, his anger, his resentment, his guilt...his grief. They had joined in themselves. Many of their allies had died in the Great War, even their own Father, despite his might. Their family had just been killed. They were all upset. Though Ace was grieving another death to top the list. His brother, Straw Hat Luffy. Dead. Akainu went for his brother, and Ace had tried to move as fast as he could...but...he was already wounded from Akainus previous attack. He had stumbled. Marco closed the door. Ace wasn't going to be very co-operative at the moment; he had suspected as much.

Ace sat on the hard ground, his eyes not really focusing on anything. He felt numb. Instead of the dark room, he saw a boy. The boy's smile was shadowed by the straw hat that was too big for him, but the light reflecting from the water behind him radiated his entire being.

It was the same boy who ran through chaos to save him- fists of magma had rained on him, the sea had parted and froze, and beams of light had pierced through him as bullets and canons had aimed for his life, murderous men following. Injured and nearly dead, but he still ran and ran and ran, until he reached his brother.

His lips quivered. He was going to protect this boy. He promised himself he would, that he would never lose someone dear to him again.

The boy, magical and unique, who had cried and smiled all through their memories, laid on the hard cracked ground unmoving. Blood pooled from his chest, sinking his entire being.

Ace had no more tears to cry. At first, he had been quiet from the shock. And then he yelled. He screamed. He broke things and he ripped at what he could, until there was nothing left in the room to break. Then he cried. He always told Luffy not to cry, but he couldn't stop the tears from coming. All he could see was the body of a brother that he had cherished so much.

Luffy was dead.

Luffy died.

Luffy...Luffy wasn't coming back. He wasn't going to laugh or cry, he wasn't going to yell out for food or talk in his sleep.

He wasn't going to be that boy anymore. The one he spent his life with.

Despite all this running through his head, Ace didn't move. His eyes refused to water, his throat was too sore, his hands bloody.

"Ace."

Ace looked up. He was there. That boy. That boy he used to know. He was older, he looked alive. "Ace. Stop it." He said. His eyesbrows were furrowed, his hands were on his hips and he looked the same. Ace couldn't decide if he wanted to smile or cry. "...Lu...Luffy?" Luffy didn't say anything. "Luffy, are you...are you alive? " He stopped. Ace knew he wasn't alive, he wasn't the type to fool himself.

"Ace, get up." Luffy clenched his fist. "This isn't like you. Get up."

Ace looked down, hiding his face under the bangs of his hair. "Luffy...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Luffy, I'm, I'm so sorry. You-"

"ACE!"

Ace's head shot up, and he saw the same boy, angry.

Luffy took a big breath and then yelled; "You didn't lose everything! You still have your Nakama! They're outside of this dark room, waiting for you! So get up!"

For the first time in a while, Aces eyes were huge, lively. He had forgotten his Nakama, his family. He wasn't alone.

Luffys voice quietened, and he smiled, but it didn't reach his sad eyes. "Besides, I promised them I was going to meet my crew at Saboady. My crew are waiting for me. I need someone to tell them... I need someone to tell them that I can't keep my promise. I won't be there. I won't be coming with them anymore. I won't be travelling with them anymore. They need to know that they can go on without me." Suddenly, the boy smiled even greater, and it finally reached his eyes.

"Tell them good luck, I know they can do it. And Ace... good luck, and thank you. I'll be...going on ahead."

Ace reached out for Luffys arm, but he wasn't there anymore. Luffy was gone again. Falling back into his seat on the floor, he smiled. It was a sad smile.

He was going to protect this boy. He promised himself he would.

Except he hadn't.

Getting up, Ace opened the door, and he was instantly blinded by the light that reflected off the water, radiating the bodies of his crew.

It seemed Ace still had more a few more tears he could cry.


	2. Chapter 2- Crew

They were all quiet.

On their way back to Saboady, they had read the newspaper.

HEADLINES: END OF THE GREAT WAR, MARINES VICTORY, WHITEBEARD DEAD

SON OF REVOLUTIONARY DRAGON REVEALED: PIRATE STRAW HAT LUFFY

...

STRAW HAT LUFFY DECLARED DEAD

The remaining crew sat on their familiar ship. A famous pirate, whose hands burned everything they touched, stood before them, holding their captains familiar straw hat.

On their way back to Saboady, not one of them had shed a tear. They all knew Monkey D. Luffy would not die so easy as that, he couldn't just be gone- that wasn't the person they knew. Luffy was loud and destructive, unbeatable and strong. He was a man who kept his promises. He was the future King of the Pirates. He was Luffy.

Sitting on that ship now, looking at a brother who looked more hopeless than the blood stained hat, they finally understood.

He was dead.

When they realised this, they had had mixed reactions.

The liar had yelled at the man, declaring him a liar, begging for it to be a lie. The proud swordsman had buried his face into his hands in shame. The cook, known for his steady legs, had lost his balance, leaning against the ship. The navigator had seemed lost, collapsing onto the floor and crying into her shaking hands. The monster of a being, cried like a child.

Ace looked up. He needed to see for himself how his crew would react. He saw new faces, though they were older than the rest.

A robotic man was standing there in shock, like the robot he was. A woman who had wished for death herself cried until her tears touched the ground, her grief blossoming the more he watched. And a living skeleton, whose only proof of life was the way his back seemed to keep arching deeper the longer he sat by the mast.

Closing his eyes, Ace gently laid the straw hat onto the floor. His fingers hesitated, before finally letting it go. Ace looked up.

"Luffy made a promise to that man. He promised him he would return this hat himself once he became a great pirate. As his crew... as his nakama, I think it would only be fitting if you returned it on his behalf."

With that, he left, leaving the quiet sobbing behind. Leaving his brothers treasure behind him, he remembered what he had said to Daddan as a child; he wouldn't run in fear of endangering who ever was behind him, he couldn't turn his back on something important. Without looking beind him, he left.

The ship screamed. In everyones grief, they all cried, and they screamed. The Sunny kept hitting against the shore, sobbing in its own way.

They were all loud.

The boy, unseen by anyone, rested his ghostly fingers on the brim of the straw hat. 'I guess I'll go on an adventure alone this time.' Looking up at his crew, crying for his loss, he smiled. 'Though being alone hurts worse than pain.'


	3. Chapter 3- Shanks

Shanks stayed where he was, sitting in the front of his ship. He was surrounded by his own crew, though for once, none of them smiled. His gaze was hard as he stared at the 8 people before him, his old hat in the hands of a man shrouded in green.

These were his crew.

He didn't need them to say anything.

Breaking the silence, Shanks looked up to the sky, a dull gray high above them. "He was tiny, you know. Couldn't swim, couldn't punch; couldn't do anything but talk. Yet, he had always reminded me of Roger..."

Zoro clasped the hat tighter. In all honesty, none of them wanted to give the Emperor Luffys hat- it was Luffys. It was his treasure, it was the only thing left of him. The Straw Hat pirates didn't want to hand over their captains straw hat.

Zoro especially didn't want to be the one to give it away. However, as Luffys first mate, it was his job to fulfill Luffys lifetime promise. Both as his first mate, and his friend.

Shanks wasn't a fool; even if he hadn't considered the thought that Luffys crew would be attatched to his hat, he could clearly see it for himself. They didn't want to give him the straw hat.

And Shanks didn't want to have it.

Not like this.

This was supposed to be a great moment, where he would see for himself how that useless boy grew up to become a king. He wanted this day to be like that, just for a moment. A king for a day. Thats all he asked.

Shanks looked surprising calm. He wasn't someone who would share his grief with strangers. Looking back however...he had been a mess. The day Luffy died.

Shanks was there to end a war. Yet on his arrival, he instead found a boy lieing on the hard cold ground. Shanks had been a pirate for many years now, but it shook him to the core to compare that happy lively boy he once knew, to that dead man. He had felt as cold as Luffy... he felt as cold as the dead.

He had locked himself away in his own dark room for many days.

"I told him to become a great pirate. I set him on this course, I guess you could blame a lot of this on me. I knew there was a chance he could die but..." He huffed an unamused laugh "...well, it was Luffy. I really couldn't imagine that."

He brought the bottle of alcohol to his lips, chugged nearly half the bottle. He had stunk of the stuff lately. He was angry and upset as it was.

That wasn't his hat anymore. That was a dead mans hat, and that was not something he wanted to carry on his head with the pride of a pirate. That was just...sad.

"Keep it. The Straw Hat pirates can't have a straw hat on their jolly roger for no meaning. Besides, he grew up with that hat. I'm sure its become something important to him- no pirate gives away their treasure."

Zoro's voice cut the atmosphere, strong...but hurtful. "He's dead. He left his treasure behind, along with his crew. As usual...he left us behind. We're usually there to catch up and get him out of whatever trouble he got himself into-"

The blonde behind him cut him off "ZOR-"

"I'm sure he died without regrets." Shanks voice was silent, but it was heard.

The crew looked surprised for a moment; they hadn't considered that. Maybe this kind of ending would have suited Luffy better; he was able to protect someone he cared about. Thats not something Luffy would have regretted. In a way... this thought saddened them. The thought that they could have been obstacles to Luffys dream, instead of supporters, was something they never wanted to consider. They trained to become stronger. Yet they weren't even there. He died a captain without his crew.

A reindeer began to silently cry, his tears strangely humane.

Shanks got up and walked over to the swordsman, slowly taking the hat from his grasp.

"Its decided then. Theres a promise I still need to keep. Luffy promised he would only return this hat to me once he became the King of the Pirates. He hasn't become the Pirate King, so he can't give me back this hat. I'll be sure to pass it on to him. That man should be with Luffy now, on his way to make his grandson a grave. Instead of flowers, we'll put this there instead."

Zoro let go of his captains treasure. Zoro let go of Luffys hat.

Zoro...let go.


	4. Chapter 4- Garp

Garp walked into the dark room, slowly closing the door behind him and taking a seat in front of Luffy.

In front of Luffys body.

The body was covered by a blanket, but some of the blood had seeped through anyway. Looking at the shape in front of him, Garp thought how small it was. To him, the shape of the fugure was that of a small boy, just a child. Just how Garp remembered him.

What a mistake it was, to raise those boys as brothers.

Slowly, slowly, he peeled the cover off the bodies face.

No one had even bothered to close his eyes.

He was right there. Luffy. Luffy looked up to no where, his eyes...

...his eyes were emotionless. So. Very. Dead.

Garps fingers began to shake. How could he have let this happen? This was his grandson- its the same boy he held in his arms when he was merely days old. Its the same boy who had caught his rubbery arm on a tree branch and dangled there smiling about his pirate dream. It was the same boy who he had carried on his back, asleep and hungry.

Its the same boy who was lying right there, as cold as the sea breeze.

He had wanted Luffy to become a marine. He never wanted to mourn the death of his grandson. He never wanted it to be considered a victory, to witness his family die, struggling.

"Hah Luffy. Why did you always have to be so stubborn. The last encounter we had, we raised our fists to one another. That hurts your old man, Luffy. You always used to chase Ace, you know. To think that the day you finally reached him...would be like this."

He looked down for a response. Luffy's face was unchanging.

Tears began to fall down the withered mans face, crumpling up his wrinkled marks of age with grief.

"Oh Luffy."

Oh God. How could this have ever happened.

Luffy stayed quiet as he sat there staring at this grandfather. He hugged his knees closer to him; being around Garp had always made him feel like a child, even in death. It hurt for Luffy, to watch everyone so uspet. Not being able to comfort any of them...felt so terribly lonely.

It was the first time in years that he had felt this way.

Looking into this room was the saddest part of all. A body in the middle of a dark room, a lonely grandfather hunched and in tears. A ghost boy watching it all.

Luffy didn't regret trying to save Ace but...he felt sorry anyway. Gii-chan...despite his personality, he had been somewhat of a lonely man since Luffy could first remember.

"I'm sorry, Gii-chan. I'm sorry."

Taking a breath before fully composing himself, Garp closed Luffys eyes.

Hearing the door knock, the voice of a young boy called out from behind. "Garp-san, we're here."

Covering Luffys face once again, he picked up the body in his arms, craddling it like you would a child.

After all, that was all Luffy was to him, just a child.

Opening the door, he carried Luffy out into the light, a straw hat laying on his stomach. That Red-haired had delivered it himself. He encouraged Luffy to become a pirate. Even if it was Luffys decision, Garp still felt sick looking at Shanks.

Walking down into the docks, the people standing there waiting, and the young boy steady on his heels, he carried the boy back home.

Just like he used to.

In the distance, a woman fell to the ground, laying on her knees with her head in her hands. Behind her were sullen villagers. And off to the side were bandits who acted as family. The crowd was a mixure of grief and rage.

This would have to act as Luffys last destiniation. It wasn't Raftel, where he would be remembered a king...but it was home. Where he would be remembered for the child he was, for the child everyone loved.

Oh Luffy. Things...were never supposed to be this way.


	5. Chapter 5- Two mothers of sorts

It wasn't anything too big. Just under average size.

It was a normal gravestone, resting on the hill looking out towards the ocean. Makino remembered how Luffy and Ace had always sat here together, dreaming about their futures as pirates.

Makino stood there, alone at first. The breeze had rustled through her, swaying the strands of her hair and blowing the skirt of her dress. It rustled the hat atop his grave. The sun shone too bright.

She hadn't come to the burying of the body. She couldn't. As soon as she saw...his...body, the unchareristic calm on his face, she had completely broken down. She cried her day away, she cried herself to sleep; she dreamed of a dieing boy, and she awoke in tears. Even now, forcing herself to come to his grave, she could barely see through her swollen eyes. She wanted to curl onto the ground like a ball and weep until the day ended. But Luffy died a man; she couldn't act like a child. She owed him that much.

She had been too young to consider Luffy her son, but too old to be considered a kind of sister- to her, he had been someone she wanted to protect. More than a friend, he was like family, without a particular role. She wanted to protect him now, to hold that crying child close to her, as she had when he stumbled learning to walk. Putting her face into her hands, she attempted to compose herself. Her lips shook, and her eyes had watered, but she did not cry.

"Luffy...you're home now. You must have...yes, knowing you, you must have had many great adventures, I would have loved to hear all about them..." She bit her lip before she continued, a cheerful voice leaking from her big fake smile. "You can tell me all about it, okay? I'll be in the bar and you can come visit whenever you like. If you need to, I can make you more clothes and...and you can show me how strong you've gotten! Tell me about your nakama, okay? I want to hear about them too! Tell me about that animal, and how you got such an infamous woman like Nico Robin on your crew...though you were always like that, weren't you, you had an amazing drawing personality..."She waited for a response, but everything was silent. The wind blew again.

The smile finally disappeared, tears silently streaming down her cheeks.

"You were always such a loud child...why are you so quiet...Luffy."

A hand grabbed her shoulder, yet it was strong and familiar.

"Makino."

Makino looked back at the person, a sad smile on her face.

"Daddan."

Daddan had looked horrible. It was easy to notice that she too had been grieving the night away. She surprising looked tired, worn out and upset- Makino had expected some kind of anger. Daddan guessed had guessed as much.

"I punched that idiot Garp until I my fists began to bleed. He watched Luffy die, he watched as those boys struggled to save one another- he was there! He could have done something!"

Daddan tried to calm herself. "But even I remembered such a thing. Even that man is upset. He just lost his grandson...but dammit I'll never forgive that idiot! He came to my doorstep two times and made me a mother to those boys."

Daddans tears began to overflow, but she carried on.

"My heart...my heart feels so broken, Makino. Those boys became my sons...I didn't want them! Garp forced them onto me! And then he dares to do this to me!

All I want...is to see those boys run around happy and carefree again, making a mess of my house, worrying me when they didn't come back home."

Daddan clutched her chest, as if she really could feel her heart as it shattered.

"Luffy...that boy isn't meant to be here. He's meant to be a pirate, out at sea. Living the dream he trainsed to hard for, the dream he lost Sabo for. Not here Makino...not here."

Makino was silent.

Wipping her arm across her face, Daddan began to stomp off towards the woods, but the opposite direction of her house. "Ah Dammit! He's not here Makino! He's not by that gravestone, he'll either be there, or on his ship!"

Makino scurried along with her, huffing as she tried to catch up.

After a small while, they ended up at an old abandoned treehouse. The ladder was broken, but the house itself was fine. She could still see sake cups hanging in a net by the door. Luffy used to tell her about this place, but she had never seen it.

Daddan looked up towards the house, and yelled. "Luffy! You did well! You protected Ace, he's alive! ...Thank you! Thank you, Luffy!

And...Luffy..." Daddan hesitated; these next words would hurt.

"Goodbye...Luffy."

The sun then instantly reflected through the trees, and reflected off the sake cups. Daddan and Makino sheilded their eyes, the water in their eyes causing the shine to glitter beyond sight. Looking through it anyway, they both looked up towards the treehouse, neither being able to see that well. But they both saw it.

The shadow of a man sitting atop the house, his feet danglig out of the door. The figure was wearing a straw hat.

Makino widened her eyes, before breaking into tears once again. The sun shone down, and the figure wasn't there anymore, but they saw it. They saw his wide grin, the one they remembered. The one they loved.

The tears were both sad and happy.

He was there. He was okay.

But there would never come a day in the womans lives, where they wouldn't feel the loss at heart. They had watched a boy train his childhood away, to die. He died protecting his brother, as a known pirate.

But nonetheless, they watched this boy live. Not even a year into his dream, he died.

They had never considered it. That he would die. He was strong enough.

All he would have needed was more time. And that was all they wanted themselves.

More time with him.

Looking down, they turned and left. There was nothing else they could do.

The bartender walked away to tend to her bar.

The mother walked home to resume as a bandit.

So I think maybe from now on, I'll try add more emotions than "sad" into this, maybe next chapter, or after the next chapter, though there will still be "sad".

I don't really know, I'm making this up as I go to be honest. But thanks for all the reviews, I was planning on deleting this all, but I've been very flattered from all the nice comments and support so I decided to at least keep going with it. Thanks for reading up to this fifth chapter, I think there will be about maybe around 13 chapters, so I probably need to spice things up a bit. I've been listening to sad music to get me in a sad mood to write these things, so maybe I'll listen to something else. Maybe an edgier kind of sad music. Anyway, thanks again!


	6. Chapter 6- Coby

_"If I die, then I die."_

Coby walked back onto the marine ship and sat himself up in his quarter. Being there in Luffys village was certainly...disturbing. He just wanted to go, to leave. However, no one could leave until Vice Admiral Garp returned, and so Coby left to his small shared room instead.

The people cried. Some bandits got violent, but all Garp did was take the hits, as if he also blamed himself. He was at the village doctors at the moment- the marines had thought it best for the Vice Admiral if he was in comforting company.

Coby frowned. He wasn't sure what was bugging him so. Maybe because he wanted Luffy to witness as he became an Admiral, a higher role in the marines all because of Luffys act. Maybe because he had just lost a friend, and the only person who purely believed that Coby could fulfill his dream. But it wasn't as personal as that, he decided. It was the village.

They all acted like they've lost a boy.

An immature boy, who had so much to live for, a child who wasn't able to live up to his dreams.

But Coby saw him as a man.

Luffy was someone Coby looked up to. He was determined, and strong, willfull and reliable. He was good. Luffy hadn't been a tall man, but Coby had always felt that Luffys back was longer and firmer than anyone elses, even Garps. When Coby looked at Luffy...he had always seen a King. A fearless King who looked after his people, who could turn the world upside down and shake it with his rubbery hands.

You could say that Shanks' hat to Luffy was like Luffys courage to Coby. It was something irreplacable.

For once, Coby couldn't cry. He couldn't. He respected Luffy too much to just cry- no, Coby was angry. There was something about Luffy that screamed Legendary. For someone as great as that to be killed so easily...

He wondered who he was even angry at. Maybe Akainu, a man he had aimed to be, tainting Cobys view of of corageous justice. It could have been Luffy. Everyone, he supposed.

Cobys hands balled into fists, and his teeth gritted. This wasn't how things were supposed to go.

Helmeppo stammered into the room, loud and interuptive. "Oi Coby, Garps back, we're heading off..." His voice faded as he took in Cobys sight, scrunched on the floor- his whole body looked like a fist.

"C-Coby, are you alright...?" No response.

"I know your upset and all, but a marine shoudn't be mourning the death of a pirate! Even if it was Straw Hat, you need to get up before any of the other marines see you like this-"

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP HELMEPPO!" He was starting to breathe heavily, and he wouldn't look at his fellow friend.

"C-Coby-"

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Coby threw something at Helmeppo- he wasn't sure what. His friend stood quiet.

"Coby...Straw Hat is dead. You need to move past this, not for the marines...not even for me. You need to look ahead, for yourself. That man didn't die to become your obstacle. I'm sure you know that yourself, that that man had died fighting. Thats probably...for the best."

Without another word, he closed the door, leaving Coby in that small dark room.

_"I'm not afraid of dying! Because thats my dream, and I won't mind dying for it!"_

"Luffy...died...fighting."

_"I wonder if I should go with him... He stands for everything I'm against, yet he makes me feel brave."_

"...Its...probably...for the... best..."

_"Luffy-san! I know it means that we'll be enemies...but joining the marines and catching bad guys...has always been my dream!"_

His hands began to shake, his body started to tremble, and his eyes now forming tears. Apart from himself, there was only one person he wanted to prove his worth. And that was the dead man they just buried. A man fit to be a legendary King, buried in the outskirts of a tiny village, on a tiny island, in the corner of a weak and tiny sea.

Coby stood. It was time to stop. If he wanted to prove his worth to a King, then he needed to get started- he needed to get out of this tiny place, and make his own big impact on the world.

Imitating Luffy, he put his hands on his hips, a huge grin spreading across his face as the last of his tears fall.

"I'm going to be...an Admiral of the Marines!"

This time, he did not fall in shame or embarrassment. All he did was twitch his ear, as he thought he heard a faint and distant yet familiar laughter...

Hello lovelies~ sorry for updating this much later than usual, its exam time at the moment, so I haven't really had the time. Well, from now on these chapters will be based on characters within the New World, so I hope you'll enjoy!


	7. Chapter 7- Rivals

Being submerged under water, the only light that illuminated the room was a dim headlight firmy stuck in the wall. Resting his head on the wall behind him, he wondered why he was still thinking about it. It must have been the scene, he guessed.

Looking back at it now, Law had been...disappointed.

With the unnatural movement of the sea, moving in unfamiliar motions and constantly shifting temperature, it had taken the submarine a while to reach Marineford.

When they had emerged and opened the door, Law instantly realised what had happened. Whitebeard stood there, tall and proud, as stiff as a mighty statue. But he was dead; you didn't have to be a surgeon to see that.

"...LUFFY!"

Snapping his head toward the sound, he saw a man holding onto a bod-

Oh.

Law slit his eyes; the man they came to save was already dead. He had planned to leave immeadetly if that turned out to be the case, but for some strange reason he couldn't seem to stop staring at the scene.

The man was still screaming, but he was now being tugged by some other men, desperate to flee. He heard the men calling him Ace. So that was Fire Fist...

He was kneeling on the ground, holding onto StrawHatter so tightly that the blood began to flow down his knees and onto the ground. Fire Fist continued to squeeze however, holding onto the small figure as if he were trying to keep a broken child from shattering into pieces.

"Luffy...Luffy! Luffy, please wake up! Luffy...God Luffy, I'm so sorry. I was supposed to protect you...please, please don't go like Sabo did, don't leave me alone Luffy, don't waste your life on a useless guy like me...please...Luffy...just...just wake up..." He cringed.

"Luffy!"

"Ace! ACE! We gotta go, we gotta go now! The Old Man gave us time but we need to go before we get killed!"

Fire Fist didn't let go.

"ACE! JUST LEAVE HIM, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO CARRY HIS BODY!"

The mans arms weakened a little, but it was enough for the men to drag him off his knees and onto his feet.

"...bo...dy...?"

Yeah. Thats all StrawHatter was now- just a body.

That kid, full of high spirits, laid on the ground, cold and alone.

The light in the room flickered- once, twice- and then gave out. Law tsked, fustrated. "Penguin! Stop blowing out the circuit!" Usually he would have expected Bepo to be causing the problems in attempt to make himself feel cooler, but he was usually asleep around this time of day, so Penguin was most likely the culprit.

Looking around, barely being able to see past the dust clouds, Law was only able to catch glimpses of the world around him. First the clouds moved to show a muscular fishman with his face cringed in both grief and physical pain facing a man whose arm melted to seep through the cracks of the ground. The wind shifted to reveal a beautiful woman hopelessly on her kness, thin trails of tears sliding down her horrorstruck face. With the sound of the war still at hand, he could only watch as the woman looked to yell, most likely StrawHatters name. Closer now, Law was surprised to have missed the...man? Yes definitely a man...with a large head and alerting getup, whose tears were as large as a grown mans head. Further away was an old marine, pinned down by another older marine, his face shoved into the hard ground, as if the marine on top was trying to stop him, or hold him back. Right beside him, a young marine with wild pink hair looked as if he had just witness a city collapse.

"LUFFY!" Turning to his side, Law again saw the infamous pirate, trying to pull away from his men and run back to the body he was about to leave behind.

Men everywhere, pirates and marines alike, were chasing each other, running to kill or flee. Yet despite the chaos, a wide spacious area spread around StrawHatters body. Law had only met the guy once, but he really thought that there was something interesting about that guy, something about him that made Law want to see for himself what he would do next.

Law was...disappointed.

Despite the commotion, Law was the only one to notice a huge red ship sailing towards them, a man standing firmly in the front supported by a large group of pirates. Soon preoccupied with the huge fishman who was thrown at them, Law turned his back on the scene. There was no use staying here any longer. "Guys, lets go."

Sitting in the dark now, Law realised that it wasn't just disappointment he felt. He was curious. He wondered what the world be like, what the future entailed for him, had Straw Hat Luffy survived this war. Again, the lights flickered -once, twice- and the room was again, lightly dimmed. Like usual. Sighing, he got up. It was time that he checked on his patient. Walking back into the operation room, he looked at the empty operating table that side beside the one currently used by the fishman. It was spotless, as clean as it usually was. Law glared at it.

For some reason, it felt off to him, as if that table should be used and covered in blood that always came before the healing. It just felt...off.

Again, Law felt disapponted.

"Oi Captain, stop grinning already its creepy."

Kidd looked up from the newspaper, both delighted and annoyed. "Did you hear? Straw Hat Luffy is dead! I wanted to finish off the brat myself, but I guess he isn't worth my time! You hear that boys?! Lets go! We have a Pirate King here ready to be crowned!"

A deadly cheer erupted from his fellow men, and Kidd began to walk towards the weak and pathetic pirates that tried to escape the New World. Both his eyes and hair shone red, as red as the blood he loved to shed. "I'm going to find the One Piece, I'll be the Pirate King, and I will conquer the Grandline!' Kidds grin grew. "Not some cheeky brat who hid under his stupid straw hat."

Heyo! Sorry, these little messages aren't going to be in every chapter don't worry, I just wanted to reply to a certain review asking if we see the Straw Hat Crew again, and I'm terrible when it comes to keeping secrets or holding off info, so I'll just let you know that YES there will be another chapter on them, so no worries there.


	8. Chapter 8- Hancock

Hancocks knees couldn't have been further from her chest. She had only known the man for a short time, but it was enough time for her to warm up to the only man- to the only person beside her sisters and her saviors- and trust him with her undeniable secret.

Her breathing came heavy, and her chest felt both hollow and yet unforgiving. It shouldn't literally hurt someone when another dies, should it? Despite her trembling fingers, she clutched at her heart until she could even feel her fingernails piercing her through her clothes. Was this it? Hancock wondered, for the second time since meeting Luffy, whether this pain would kill her. Was she really dying? The thought had once frightened her, but now she even considered it welcoming.

_'If I died, I could see Luffy again...'_

Even her sobbing was quiet. Unlike Luffy, who had lived his childhood loud and free, Hancock had lived hers in fear- if she had ever dared to cry too loudly, it would mean her life. It seemed that this trait had passed on to her adulthood; she was screaming and yet no one could hear her. It was like things had never changed.

Falling backwards on her large lonesome bed, she clutched a pillow so tightly that it wasn't long before her sweat began to drench it. Well, it wasn't just sweat. Tears too.

Boa Hancock was in love with a dead man.

She wanted to see him again. Hancock closed her eyes, hesitant. She wanted to see him, his smile and his trust, his strength and his kindness; she wanted to see everything. It took her only minutes to sleep- she herself was tired from battling in the war.

Elder Nyon wasn't as naive as the rest of Amazon Lily, she had presumed what had happened even before the Kuja pirates came back with a newspaper. As Hebihime had locked herself in her room without a word, it was Elder Nyons duty to care for the people in her absence. Most of the village were standing before her now, waiting for answers to their questions. The Kuja pirates stood behind her, already aware of what had happened.

A woman near the front of the pack shouted, "What's wrong with Hebihime-sama?! Is she ill or wounded?! What has happened?!" Noise erupted momentarily as they all agreed anxiously.

"Hebihime-sama has locked herself in her room, but she is not injured. Unfortunately, a grave pain has descended on her heart. She is dying from Love-sickness. Many Emperors have fallen before her for the same reason. Hebihime is in terrible pain, we must let her rest."

The crowd had gone still, but it would only be moments until they would begin to panic. Shock had numbed them for now.

"What about Luffy? Is he okay? Did he save his brother?"

Margaret stood alone among the rest, having been the only one in her worry to remember about the boy.

If it was any more possible, Elder Nyon looked even graver. "Monkey D. Luffy has...he was able to save his brother Fire Fist Ace." Margaret smiled brightly- "-however, he did...not survive. He was killed by the admiral Akainu. It is his death that burdens Hebihime so much."

Margarets smile faded, and now she was just like the others- numbed by the shock.

It was Sweetpea who was the first to cry. She had her arm pushed into her face, her tears streaming down the remainder of her face as she cried "The saga of 'why did have to happen?!'"

Others followed in their grief.

As usual, Elder Nyon was the last to join in, letting her grief show among the women.

"Sister! Please come out, you need to eat!" Hancock stirred as she awoke, but she still ignored the calls from Marigold. If she ate, it would only come back out again.

"Please let us come in sister!" That was Sandersonia. "You need to see a Doctor, or at least let Elder Nyon in!" Still, Hancock ignored them. She didn't even have the voice to speak out if she wanted to. She just wanted to be alone right now.

No, that was wrong. She didn't want to be alone; she wanted to be with Luffy.

Her eyes drifted to the floor, where trays of food had been swiped under the door. She saw it. A knife left there to cut her dinner last night, unused.

For the second time that day, Hancock had considered how much better she would be with Luffy, the man she loved.

Hancock stood, but she fell down instantly with a thump as her fever overtook her. Yet again, her eyes went dark as she fell unconscious. _'Maybe after I wake up...'_

Despite her wishes, Hancock lived for many years onward. She had become a more distant, a sadder Emperor but she never forgot about Luffy until the day she was killed. It was funny actually. After Akainu became such a success, he decided that there was no need for the Seven Warlords of the sea.

Boa Hancock had lived a numb hollow life; she had been a strong stern woman who survived slavery and her lovers' death, but she had not wanted to.

However, as Hancock lied in her own pool of blood that warmed her cooling skin, she smiled for the first time since Luffys death. She could finally see him.

_'Luffy...'_


	9. Chapter 9- Brook

Brook stood in the clearing of the deck of the ship, alone with the sun setting beyond the head of the Thousand Sunny. With the violin, he slowly played once again, Binks Sake, wordless and delicate, like a mourning lullaby.

His mind had drifted to the days that he acted Captain aboard the Rumbar Pirate Ship, comparing the happy days between them and the Straw Hat crew. It was a similar setting. Just as he had before, he played the memorable tune alone, grieving yet another loss.

Brook had lost so many things in his life.

He had lost a comfortable place with his dear friend Laboon. He had lost...he had lost his Captain. He had lost his crew. He lost his life. He lost his sanity. He had lost 50 years of his renewed life. He had even lost his shadow.

But then Monkey D. Luffy arrived. And he gained it all back again. His shadow was redeemed. His time was better wasted. He was happy once again. Thanks to Luffy, he got to live once more. He was granted permission by his new Captain- no, his savior- to enjoy the time he had with his new crew. Luffy even let Brook have the chance to fulfil his promise with Laboon.

In that dark, lonely and foggy sea, Luffy had shone so bright.

Where... where was that light now?

Brooks fingers trembled as he dropped his musical instrument. It was so silent out here, a soundless sound so familiar.

It was like he lost everything all over again. And he cried. He hadn't cried all that much since Luffys death; he had been tired of it all.

But water began to overflow, running like a waterfall as it winded in and out of his skeleton-structured face.

"Luffy-san! Luffy-san!" Brook lifted his arms to the sky above him, and wailed. "Luffy-san, where are you?!"

Unaware to Brook, Luffy was closer than he thought. Luffy sat on the seating around the mast, his hand gripping the top of his Straw Hat which sat on his head.

"You will never know, Luffy-san, how grateful I am to you! You saved me! You saved me! Luffy-san, I owe my life to you! My life was in your hands, and yet... and yet you are the one who died instead of me." Brook halted his speech for a few minutes, his grief making it difficult to speak. "Thank you, Luffy! Thank you, so much! If death is anything like I remember it to be, then you should be peaceful at the least. Though someone like you, I'm sure you hate the peace, don't you Captain?"

Luffy grinned knowingly under his hat.

"I was hoping I could repay you by making you become the Pirate King. However, I'll repay you differently now. I read in the ships journal about your meeting with Laboon. You promised him the same thing we did, you promised him you would also return. Luffy-san, you're... gone. So in your stead, I will greet Laboon on your behalf! I will tell him stories of the boy in the Straw Hat who saved the both of us from loneliness and loss! He will know... he will know that it was YOU who brought me back, that you sent me because you couldn't make it... he'll know...!" Choking from the tears, Brook fell to his knees.

"Luffy-san... THANK YOU, LUFFY-SAN!"

The boy smiled a warm smile, a smile that could have comforted anyone, had anyone been able to see it.

Luffy was beginning to remember what it was like to be truly alone. Not a single person knew he was there. Had he not died, he was sure that they would have all been sitting outside, laughing and feasting, drinking and celebrating their return. So as Brook talked, Luffy sadly understood.

They weren't going to be together again. They weren't going to laugh again, or celebrate new adventures with one another, not anymore. 'Banzai'ing Brooks joining of the crew would be their last celebration.

The thought made Luffy sadly smile- it was a great party. So many people, Sanji's great food, gaining a new nakama, even Zoro sleeping like his usual self. Luffy would hold these memories dear to him, bundled like treasure whenever he'll look into his straw hat. Remembering the days he lived.

Brook stood up, composed once again, and sat on the seating around the mast, right beside his Captain. He watched as the sun went down, sinking into the ocean, drowning away his light. Just like Luffy...just...just like...

Brook fell asleep. Though this time, it wasn't nightmares he had, but a celebration. Everyone was there, his old Captain drinking meerily, his crew performing music blasting into the night while a baby whale wailed along from the sea beneath. His new crew were there too, dancing away with everyone else. And Luffy, he was there. He was right at front, standing before Brook with his hand out stretched towards him.

"Oi Brook, come on! Don't just stand there watching us having fun, come on!"

For now, Brook forgot it was a dream. He wanted to be happy with everyone again, at least until he woke up and would have to face his loss again, just like he used to. Topping his hat, he walked forward into the party.

"Yohohoho! It would be my pleasure, Luffy-san!"


	10. Chapter 10-Chopper

Chopper refused to come out. Nami had knocked on the door a few times, sometimes she called out, but even she didn't have the energy to try any harder than that.

Chopper sat on the chair by the desk, sitting in this room specially made for him, where he could truly be a doctor.

He wanted to be a doctor to save lives. To help people who never wanted to help him.

After meeting Luffy... he realized he needed to be in his crew. He needed to be needed. He wanted to help those who wanted him.

Right now, all he wanted was to save the one person who saved him from that lonely self-hating existence. Chopper wanted to save him.

He wanted... he needed to save Luffy.

Slightly turning his head, he peeked at the bed, a bed reserved for his crew, his patients, his friends.

He saw a body on the bed, resting, sleeping. The man had a smile on his face as his body relaxed, and despite all the injuries, Chopper couldn't spot a sign of pain or regret on his face. Just a proud fatigue.

Turning his head away, Chopper began to cry once again. He sniffed, and he smiled, but he still wouldn't look back behind him at the bed.

"Are you starting to feel better, Luffy? You were really beaten up this time, but its okay, cause I'm here! You might find it hard to take this medicine, but I can help you with that! And when you're feeling all better again, we can have a party, and then we can have more adventures together as pirates. Just like you promised. And I'll always be there to patch you up again! Ne, Luffy?"

There was no response.

He couldn't stand the silence. Or the truth. So little Chopper continued. "You were able to save your brother, Luffy! You're so strong, fighting against those marines and warlords, even admirals... L...Luffy..." Chopper clenched his eyes shut, hoping it would reduce the emount of tears that overflowed. It didn't. He knew it was hard for everyone else too, but he couldn't keep silent anymore. He wailed Luffys name, repeating the sound over and over. "LUFFY! L-LUFFY~ LUFFY-FFY-Y" His voice went silent after his last call- his grief over-coming him, until all he could do was beg with a voice tinier than his body, sadder than his wailing and as broken as he felt.

"Please Luffy, please come back...I only went out to sea because-because of you Luffy... you're my friend, my f-first ever friend..." His voice pitched higher at the end of each silent sentence.

He sniffed, still not looking back. "I promise I'll work harder Luffy! I can become a monster if you want me to Luffy, I can do that if its for you! And then I'll come with you to the end of the Grand Line, curing you and helping you whenever I can... I'll try harder...I-I PROMISE LUFFY!"

"Shishishishi. Okay. I already decided that anyway Chopper- you're my nakama!."

Chopper smiled, his furry mouth spreading as large as to stretch his cheeks. He was so happy; Luffy agreed! He can stay on the ship with everyone, Luffy can stay now, he said he would! Now he can leave this room and tell everyone the good news, they don't have to be sad anymore because Luffy is back, he's right here-

Chopper turned around, with his smile large and hopeful, his eyes all the same.

No one was there.

The look was still on his face. Chopper stared at the bed, empty. To anyone else, Chopper would most probably still look extremely happy at this moment. But Chopper... he was as empty as that bed, as empty as the room. So empty, he couldn't move.

...Why? Why had this all happened? They were all so happy, laughing and being together. And then they were split up. But it should have been fine, things always turned out okay! So why...why was it different this time?

Why was Luffy not here?

How could it turn out like this?

...Why did Luffy die?

Why was Luffy dead? Luffy was strong, he could defeat anyone, he was going to become the King of the Pirates, he even defeated a God, so where was he, where is Luffy, he's the captain, he's our nakama, he's-

He's Luffy.

The smiled finally, finally faded. But he couldn't cry, not anymore. It hurt too much. So instead, he just stared at the empty bed. Never blinking, never sniffling or moving- he just sat there, as blank as snow.

Chopper is going to become a great doctor who can cure any disease. He's going to save anyone he wants to. He's going to save Luffy. Once he can move again, he's going to go find Luffy- he's out there, he knows he is! Its Luffy, he's not dead, he's just waiting for us to come find him, he must be injured and he's wating for me to come help him!

Just like the lonely child Chopper was, he refused to believe any of it. He's a doctor, he wouldn't accept death so easily.

"Sorry, Chopper." That was it. That was all Luffy could say to the poor animal who had looked up to him so much. One tear- only one- escaped Choppers still face. No-one was there, he could see that, so why did he still have to hear Luffys voice in his head? Why is he still imagining that Luffy is there?

Poor little Chopper never realized that this time, that voice wasn't in his head.

Luffy placed his hand on Choppers head, unfelt.

As if on queue, Chopper finally broke out of his haze, his soft furry face no longer as hard as stone. Tears began to overflow once again, like water finally escaping the cracks of his once hard face.

"Sorry...Chopper."


	11. Chapter 11- Sanji

There was something that was upsetting him, but he didn't want to think about it. He was too busy to think; his body was automatically moving on its own, yet his mind was still and blank. He was done. Walking over to the dining table, he placed yet another dish of steaming hot food on the surface, this time an assortment of various meats and seafood. His eyes drifted around, looking for more space on the table, where he would put the next dish. There wasn't even any room left on the table for someone to come sit with a plate and eat- Sanji had cooked too many dishes for that. 'It would be good for Luffy', he thought. 'Luffy doesn't need a plate, he'll just use his hands. Like he always does.'

He wanted to cook more- he liked to cook. But he had already made too much food, for a crew of people who didn't have the stomaches to eat it at all. But the food would go to waste if he just left it there, and as the cook of this pirate ship, it was his duty to provide everyone their meals. The sea was a rough place- the Grand Line even rougher. It was important that they ate, that he looked after them all. Grabbing at any random plate, he picked a few he didn't really remember cooking, leaving only one on the table, and knocked on every single persons door before quitely leaving their meals sitting beside them all.

Instead of returning to the kitchen, Sanji found himself on the back porch of the Sunny Go. Lighting a cigarette, he looked out into the ocean, into the broad darkening sky above. The wind was chilly, and despite his earlier thoughts, the water was unusually calm for the rough sea. An unamused smile dashed across his face, ever so brief. The ship and crew itself was unusally calm. Probably because that idiot wasn't here to make a ruckus. He wasn't used to this silence, to this dead chill that lingered in the air.

"Tch." Sanji threw the cigar onto the ground, stomping it down to get rid of the smell before lighting himself a new one. He was beginning to feel uneasy and fustrated again.

Did he regret ever boarding that mans ship?

He had many adventures, met new people and learnt new skills. He started to understand what it was that the Old Geezer had tried to tell him as a child- to fight for yourself is to fight for others. One for all, and all for one. Just like the All Blue, one sea for all the fish in the world, and for all the fish in the world, one sea.

'It wasn't such a crazy dream', Sanji realized after joining the Straw Hat pirates- compared to everyones elses, his search for the legendary sea seemed dull in comparison. Thinking back now, he had treated Luffy as an annoyance, but now that he was just a fleeting memory, his captain seemed like a legend. Now that he was gone and the ship was so quiet, it was if Monkey D. Luffy never existed in the first place.

How sad.

It had been about two hours now. Two hours, since the realization of Luffys death really hit him. Sanji had completely destroyed the mens bedroom, kicking everything in his anger- how could he lose something without even having the chance to fight for it?! They were pirates for gods sake!

'Luffy took me out of that tiny sea, and lead me to the Grand Line! If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be out here looking for the All Blue! So where is that idiot, he can't just leave us behind again, that bastard!'

Since then, Sanji had felt numb- or in better words, calm. Yet now, the loss started to come to him. Luffy was his nakama. Was he really so weak as to not be able to protect even one single person?

"Ah, shit. Sorry... Luffy. Just let me... let me have this one, alright?"

Raising his hand to cover his eyes and bridge his nose, Sanji began to feel a few tears running down the face. It wasn't strong, but Sanji was a gentleman- he would hide his weaknesses in front of others. Even though no one was there, the scene at the moment had reminded him of when he joined the crew. Luffy had been sitting atop the rails, and Sanji had been leaning over them, watching as the scraps of Don Kreigs ship floated aimlessly around the sea. The sky had been brighter then too, but the memory had him feeling as if Luffy was sitting atop the railings of the Sunny once again.

After taking a moment to regain himself, Sanji finally returned to the dining room. On his walk back to the room, he had first checked on his nakama, and saw the food that they had all barely touched. Plomping himself down on one of the seats around the table, he just stared into the empitness around it, at the empty plate that just lingered there, unable to stop the flooding of lingering memories. The memories of their meals together as a crew, of the loud and messy times they all happily spent together in here.

"Oi Luffy! Stop taking food from my plate!"

"Hahahahahaha! Thanks for the food Usopp! -Ah, Sanji! Is it that meat done yet?"

"Idiot! It'll be done when its done, isn't there enough food on the table for now to satisfy you?!"

"But Sanji-kun, isn't there anything else you could bring out? Luffys already finished with his portions, and he's picked off half my food already!"

"Of course Nami-san~!"

"Bahahaha..."

The memories of the sounds faded, and then ubruptly stopped when Sanji zoomed out of his chair in surprise. He had left a plate on the table, but it hadn't been empty. He had cooked an assortment of meats and seafood, and he had left the food on the plate, left the plate on the table.

It looked as if someone had ravished the plate, leaving no food behind. Was it Usopp, maybe Brook, or that damn marimo? No, none of them had eaten their foods yet, he had checked theentire crews untouched meals before entering the kitchen. Someone else had eaten the food here. And if it wasn't anyone on the crew then...

"LUFFY!" Sanji ran outside, calling out his name. Luffy was the only one who could have eaten that, right? Sanji was beginning to hate the calm quiet anyway, so he yelled at the top of his lungs, however no one came out, not even any of his nakama. That wasn't good enough.

Running around, Sanji continued to yell. "LUFFY! LUFFY, WHERE ARE YOU? YOU'RE HERE AREN'T YOU, LUFFY? LUFFY!"

Sanji found himself where he had been before, up on the back porch of the Sunny. Looking around however, he still didn't see anything, or anyone.

"Ah! Sanji! That meat was gooood~! Nothing beats your cooking!"

The voice had come from behind his back, but Sanji stayed still, making sure not to turn around.

"...Luffy? Is that you? Are you...are you really here? I don't really believe in ghosts but..."

"...Sanji. Continue to look after everyone, okay?"

Oh no, "Luffy, wait!" Sanji yelled as he spun around. No one was there. Luffy wasn't there.

Had he imagined it? He had been remembering the sounds of memories lately... it must have been a mistake, despite that sounding so much more vivid than it usually did. Resigned, he gave a little smile.

"Of course idiot."


	12. Chapter 12- Nami

"Damn it!"

The ink had spilled all over the map she was drawing, once again staining Nami's dream. Giving up, she folded her arms on the desk, resting her heavy head upon them. In truth, Nami had just wanted some kind of distraction- she didn't know how she was supposed to feel. She had been crying since she heard the news, and even hours later now, she still hadn't stopped. That was no excuse for her to stop though either, so she progressed with-anything- so she didn't have to think about _it_; thinking about it only made her feel worse. It was probably good that the ink spilled all over one of her maps again- she had barely been able to see through her watery eyes, so she doubted that the graph looked as it should.

She curled up into a ball on the small seat she was sitting on, only noticing now the goosebumps that had risen from her exposed legs.

"BAKA!" She yelled, gripping her head tighter as the tears came only a little bit harder, however still enough for her face to hurt. "IDIOT, BAKA, STUPID, WHY WOULD YOU- WHY WOULD HE- BUT WHY...WHY...why..." Despite her anger, her voice cracked, and all she could see was Luffy, smiling that big idiotic smile like he usually did. Everything had been so easy just a little while ago... he was _alive_ less than a week ago, so how could he be gone so...soon?

Luffy had saved her, her town, her family. Some... _boy_ just decided that she would be his navigator, and that was that- unwavering, the boy she barely knew defeated her captives, _freed _her, _freed_ her town and family, unknowingly avenged her mothers death and accomplished what she had strived to do for years, in just a day. He had nothing to gain from it- he did not do it for money, or for greed, for bribery or for blackmail or dominance or reputation- he did it for _her_, his nakama. His friend. She had followed him, not only to some day accomplish her own dream, but to help the man who helped her accomplish his.

He took her to the sky, and to the dangerous seas, inside a whale and to a horror island that was a ship; she befriened a princess, giants, people who lived in the sky, and people she would selflessly give her life to protect- Luffy had opened the large world up to her, and when he had needed her- when he had needed them all the most-, she wasn't there.

Once again, he fought to save another life, he fought to save his brother. '_He had been there for all of us when we needed him, so why weren't we there when he needed us?_' The guilt racked up, and Nami's hands began to violently shake. Again... again, all she could see was that idiotic smile, her name "OI NAMI!" ringing in her ears, all the memories she had accumalted beginning to cluster like treasure, like gold, like money.

"Idiot...please..._please...don't go, Luffy_...come back for us...we-we _need you!" _

Wailing. The Sunny-Go, with the smiling lion always leading them to their next adventure, had resounded with the sounds of a wailing woman, one that was surprisingly never interupted by the choke of tears, a wail echoing with the sounds of grief.

"He-he has to be alive! That baka wouldn't d-_die_ so easily, i-its impossible! LUFFY WOULDN'T DIE, THAT IDIOT WOULDN'T DIE WITHOUT ACCOMPLISHING HIS DREAM FIRST!"

"S-sorry... Nami..."

"No! I won't forgive you, baka! You always do stuff like this, you're so selfish! Think about how we feel for once!"

"Oi oi, I said I was sorry!"

"Stop it Luffy! You don't understand what its like to always put up with a captain like you- do you know much we worry about you?!"

"I get it, I get it! So you can stop crying already?!"

"Geez, you're always going off on you're own too, you kno- ...eh?"

Nami whipped her head up and and around, looking back at the empty room. Was she...did she imagine that? It must have been... it must have been in her head.

After all, Luffy _was_... dea...d.

Nami's lips began to tremble as she continued to stare within her empty room.

De...

Dead.

Finally the tears stopped. However, her grief had not. She suddenly felt very hollow, as if she was giving up. Her voice was clear when she spoke.

"Sorry... Luffy. I know you'd want us to keep going, you must really hate all this sad atmosphere on the ship, eh? But please, put up with it for a little while longer. We'll definitely fulfill our dreams, we'll do it. Not yet though... just not yet. But you saved your brother Luffy, so I'm sure... that you have no regrets...right...?"

She didn't get an answer. There was something though... for some reason, she knew he was there. It didn't matter if the conversation between her and Luffy had been in her head or not- she knew he wouldn't leave them, not so soon. She knew he was here. Nami always knew.

Getting up, she dried her face with the bottom of her shirt. Nami's eyes were still red, and her skin had taken on a pale look.

Nami was just so, so tired.

Leaving the room, she noticed quite a few plates of food by her door. She knew Sanji would be angry if she wasted the food, but the thought of eating made her sick. She was worried... she was worried about Chopper most of all. He was the youngest on this ship, and he had looked up to Luffy. She didn't really have much effort to spare, but the least she could do was knock on his door, so that lonely reindeer would know he still wasn't alone in this world.

The door banged as it shut behind her, drowning out the sound made in the quiet room as she left.

"Sorry, Nami."

The door completely shut.

"I think... I regret it. Just a little. If only I had been stronger... if only I wasn't so weak."


End file.
